[December 2001]

Located in one of the Palmetto State's most picturesque regions, Georgetown County is a beautiful coastal county full of rich African- American traditions and a distinct Gullah heritage, from its roots in the antebellum South to the present. An integral part of the identity of the Lowcountry, the black community has played a prominent role in the successful development of the county over the years, and this volume serves to highlight and celebrate the county's people and their achievements, highlighting recognizable citizens and families, both prominent and everyday.

North Island has always been the beacon from the sea leading toward Georgetown, South Carolina. It was an island of exploration for the Spanish in 1526 and the first landing place of Lafayette, France's hero of the American Revolution, in 1777. It was a summer resort for aristocratic rice planters and their slaves from Georgetown and Waccamaw Neck until 1861. North Island's lighthouse, built in 1812, led thousands of sailing ships from all over the world past massive stone jetties and through Winyah Bay to Georgetown. Today, North Island is a sanctuary and laboratory for the study of nature's effects on this unique barrier island. Join historian Robert McAlister as he recounts the island's storied past.

Georgetown is the third-oldest city in the state of South Carolina and the county seat of Georgetown County. Named for King George III of England, Georgetown County lies on the Atlantic Ocean surrounding Winyah Bay. The county's rivers--Santee, Sampit, Black, Pee Dee, and Waccamaw--were named by the Native Americans who were the area's first inhabitants. In 1732, the land was settled by the English, French, and Scots. Their first staple crop was indigo, but rice soon became the indisputable king of the Lowcountry and flourished in the marshes along the banks of the county's many rivers, creeks, and bays. By 1850, the county contained more than 175 rice plantations. The plantation era ended with the Civil War, the loss of enslaved labor, and a series of devastating hurricanes. Georgetown County's history will forever remain a part of the live oaks and Spanish moss found throughout the county and is retold in every cemetery within Images of America: Georgetown County's Historic Cemeteries.